Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1887-08-19
LENS SACRIFICE.
Written for this paper.


town where he spending the winter "A
dance was in progress, a merry gathering of
the natives, and the rude laughter and uncon-
ventional manner were in strong contrast
with the refinement and rigid furmatv to
which Stanley was accustomed He looked
on awhile indlfferently, then turned away
with the thought that the whole affair was
uncongenial and repugnant to him
just then northern acquaintance hailed
him.
81 say Stan, what's your hurry? Come
back, want to introduce you to the prettie3t
Cracker girl you ever saw"
90, bother with your Cracker girs!' Stan
ley replied in an annoyed tone; "they are too
harN1rous for me-"
The friend laughed and said: "Well, come
ana see the fairest barbarian of them all"
and Selling Stanley 10y the arm he led him
away an unwilling prisoner.
A moment later he was being introduced
to Sukey Sullivan, the friends eyes cleaning
with pleasure as he saw Stanley vince at the
name.
Great heavens' thought the latter, grit
ting his teeth as he bowed low, "what a hor-
rible name.'
And then, as he raised his head, he saw a
girl of such rare beauty as fairly startled
him
The spell of her beauty was rudely broken
when Sukey said to her new acquaintance.
"A right smart lot o. folks hyar, mister;
reckon thar's gwine ter be a heap O. fun"
Stanley WINGED again, but replied with rs
much grace as possible, and Sukey, evidently
well pleased with her new friend found much
to talk about.
"D'yc low that We has anythin' like this up
northF she asked after awhile, looking with
l,,ror lao,
"No, we never have anything like this"
Stanley responded, and the tone of his voice
caused her to turn quickly and look at him.
while the color deepened on her cheek.
"Oh, | know, mister Ye reckon that
we'uns air a po' lot of folks, rough an igno-
rant an no fine ways like yo' folks up thar"
There was panied look i'll her eyes and a
tone of roproaCh in her voice that Stanley
could not help noticing, and he FASTENED to
make amends for his thoughtless words
Skillfuily turning the conversation into other
channels, he drew out the girl and while she
was wholly unconventional in her manner,
and her abundant provncialsms betrayed
her origin, he found her neither rude nor
boisterous. But she was bright, witty, orig
inal and quite sensible in her talk and Stan
ley was interested in spite of himself
Two days after the dancing party Stanley
to "Bowlin settlement" seeking the presence
of this fair barbarian. Drawing rein in front
of the Sullivan cabin, in u little clearing
which formed part of the settlement, he en-
countered the old man Sullivan, a tall, lean,
cadaverouS individual with a shock of tow
colored hair, expressionless blue eyes a dull,
discouraged air, and a corncob pipe The
putting of this pipe was his sole act in life
that was performed with any vigor or i'll
terest.
"Molnin', stranger! Won't yer light N
cum ini' said Sullivan, with ready southern
hospitality.
Stanley tied his horse and entered the bare
comfortless living room The dinner was
cooking in the open fireplace, and the odors
of cabbage and frying bacon assailed his nos
trils. Sukeys home was a rude and cheer
less one indeed as Stanley looked about it,
and her coming into the room was to him like
ray of sunshine ON a bleak landscape Yet
he accepted the invitation to dinner, gulped
down the unsavory vands with amazing
grace, and did the agreeable to paw and
"maw."
All for simple Cracker girl whose beauty
had entranced him! What would his north
ern friends say if they could see hima
What would his proud mother say? There
-
of life by ignoring them. That was Stanley's
way. He left these questions unanswered :;
he would not allow himself to consider them,
but he gave himself up to the joys of the
present.
And so day after day he turned his face
toward the Sullivan cabin, either on horse
back or on foot, and as often he would See
long before reaching the clearing, the blue
sunbonnet of the girl as she stood at the cato
waiting for his coming. And joining her
they took long walks in the forest by half
hidden paths beneath the towering pines
where lnsensibly Stanley's regard for the
girl grew daily stronger, and his fluent and
unrescryed talk became unconsciously the
outpouring OF his hearts affection
And she? Wen, is it strange that she loved
too:
And vet could he marry her? What would
Lis mother sayf How would Madison square
receive his backwoods bride.
The question was settled in an unexpected
way, His mother suddenly died, and after a
hurried visit to the north he returned again
to Florida, with the determination to buy an
orange grove, and as there was no one now
to interfere with his plans to marry and set
tie down as a permanent resident of the Pc
ninsula state. ~
Meanwhile there was another who was
deeply interested in the affairs of these two
people. Lemuel Ruffner, owner of the adj
joining "claring," had long regarded Sukey
with deepening affection, and before Stanley S
coming had felt sense of ownership in her
Not that she had ever encouraged him, but
the "old uns" had approved his wooing,
But now he saw the prize slipping from3is
grasp. The rough, awkward ignorant back
woodsman needed no words from others to
tell him how matters stood. lie noted with
keen glance from beneath his souched hat the
flushing cheek and heaving breast of the girl
when Stanley was near, and he entertained
no doubt that the northern lover possessed
her heart, 1t angered Lem and filled him
with ranking bitterness to watch the wooing
of these people; yet strange fascination ever
drew him back to witness his own defeat and
humiliation. 1t happened, therefore, that he
was still frequent, almost daily visitor at
tho Sullivan cabin where he ploomilv sat